December 2015 Launch - 12/19 & 12/20/2015 - Update

Update 12/18 1:33pm - I think we will be a go, both Ralph and I think the field should be fine. Please Drive slow, and on the shoulders entering the field. Pleae check back for futher updates. 

When : Saturday, December 19 & Sunday, December 20, 2015
Where : The Williams Farm. See Web Site for directions if you are new.
Set Up : Volunteers show up at 9:30 am to help setup.
Launch Start : As soon as set-up is complete.
Launch Ends : Approximately 4ish PM so we have some light to close up by.
Please keep checking back for any possible last minute changes.

Ken Allen, Performance Hobbies is scheduled to be at the farm both days.

Jason will have food both days.

Remember that this is a working farm and it is the winter season. Dress accordingly, sturdy, warm shoes and suggest you dress in layers so you can take layers off and on as the temperature changes. When the sun is shining at the farm it is like a solar collector out there with the open field so it can be 10 degrees warmer when the sun is clear than in the city.

Anyone who runs a Grill or Fire-Pit is responsible to have a separate fire extinguishing system of their own on hand at your site.

Any pictures you take from any recent or upcoming launch that you would like to get posted on the web site for our embarrassment and your entertainment, just contact Doc Russell at: rocketrycarolina@gmail.com. (Remember to make the appropriate substitutions... we don't like spam bots!) Or, as some have done, pass it on a disk or flash drive. We can always get it back to you. We are continuing with our Range Safety standards by making specific assignments:

RSO/ LCO = Range Safety Officer to pre-inspect rockets before flights combined with the Launch Control Officer to check range conditions and control the launch’s in a timely and efficient manner. Check both the WEB site and at the launch for info on volunteering. It’s great for anybody who isn’t flying that day but wants to take part anyway. And it’s fun to push the little red button.

ROCC Club 2015 Memberships. Memberships run Jan to Jan with the drive starting in Oct for the new coming year. On Site : See our Membership Officer Jason Pettler. For MAIL-INS : See the web site for downloadable membership forms and e-mail address. Memberships go to the club treasury to cover the NAR and Tripoli Assoc. Fees and Insurance, and also cover the costs of maintaining launch equipment and supplies. ROCC Rocket Club “T” Shirts. Any $20 membership includes a colored club T-shirt. (individual prices posted at the launch) We went through the Grey shirts, the Tie-Dyes and now we have assorted solid color shirts. Due to last summer’s ill-regular season, any “I.O.U.’s” for “T”’s, See Jason or myself.

November Black (Powder) Friday & 2015 Turkey Shoot

WOW! What a beautiful weekend it turned into, and what a great crowd! Thanks to all who came out and had fun with us this weekend!

Roy will be along with the whole wrap-up but I wanted to say how nice it was to see so many friends and thank all who made it happen. 

I've started a gallery for photos, so if you've got 'em send 'em in...  rocketrycarolina (at) gmail (dot) com. 

Also, check out the YouTube channel... there's a couple of new videos... one from Todd's upscaled Goblin flight and Doug's TP Tubes of Terror!

dr

November 2015 Launch - 11/27, 11/28, & 11/29

Here we go, finally!!!!!
When : Friday, Nov 27, Saturday, Nov 28, and Sunday, Nov 29, 2015
Where : The Williams Farm. See Web Site for directions if you are new.
Set Up : Volunteers show up at 9:30 am to help setup.
Launch Start : As soon as set-up is complete.
Launch Ends : Approximately 4ish PM so we have some light to close up by.
Please keep checking back for any possible last minute changes.
Ken Allen, Performance Hobbies is scheduled to be at the farm all three days.

Jason will have food all three days.
Remember that this is a working farm and it is the winter season. Dress accordingly, sturdy, warm shoes and suggest you dress in layers so you can take layers off and on as the temperature changes. When the sun is shining at the farm it is like a solar collector out there with the open field so it can be 10 degrees warmer when the sun is clear than in the city.
Anyone who runs a Grill or Fire-Pit is responsible to have a separate fire extinguishing system of their own on hand at your site.
Any pictures you take from any recent or upcoming launch that you would like to get posted on the web site for our embarrassment and your entertainment, just contact Doc Russell at: rocketrycarolina@gmail.com. (Remember to make the appropriate substitutions... we don't like spam bots!) Or, as some have done, pass it on a disk or flash drive. We can always get it back to you.We are continuing with our Range Safety standards by making specific assignments:
RSO/ LCO = Range Safety Officer to pre-inspect rockets before flights combined with the Launch Control Officer to check range conditions and control the launch’s in a timely and efficient manner.Check both the WEB site and at the launch for info on volunteering.It’s great for anybody who isn’t flying that day but wants to take part anyway. And it’s fun to push the little red button.
ROCC Club 2015 Memberships.Memberships run Jan to Jan with the drive starting in Oct for the new coming year.On Site : See our Membership Officer Jason Pettler.For MAIL-INS : See the web site for downloadable membership forms and e-mail address.Memberships go to the club treasury to cover the NAR and Tripoli Assoc. Fees and Insurance, and also cover the costs of maintaining launch equipment and supplies.ROCC Rocket Club “T” Shirts.Any $20 membership includes a colored club T-shirt. (individual prices posted at the launch) We went through the Grey shirts, the Tie-Dyes and now we have assorted solid color shirts. Due to last summer’s ill-regular season, any “I.O.U.’s” for “T”’s, See Jason or myself.

November Launch Schedule - Update 11/20/15

At this point, if the farm is ready to go we will launch on November 27, 28, and 29.

However, keep checking back.

Altimeters... which one to get?

So you want to get into dual deploy so you can fly higher but walk less, but you're bewildered by the variety of units on the market and which one has the options you want or the price you want to pay?

Well I stumbled on THIS PAGE that has the best spreadsheet of makes, models and specs that I've ever seen in one place. Check it out. I might just be in the market for a new one after reading this.

dr 

A very wet but well attended Maker Faire!

Quick update: I got an email from the folks at Discovery Place Thursday afternoon... attendance was right at 3,100 people!  WooHoo!!   dr

My HUGE thanks go out to Michael Hollowell, Laura Bailey, Doug Knight & Roy Potter for stepping up and helping me out to man the tent for the first annual Maker Faire here at Discovery Place! And another really big thanks goes out to Bob Utley at Rockets magazine for sending a box of give-aways for us to hand out. Michael brought his big red Bruiser, which unfortunately had to stay wrapped up most of the day, along with his massive LED-encased night-flight Mosquito. Laura brought flyers and handouts, Doug brought some items from NASA and USLI and Roy brought the best cutaway rocket I've ever seen, along with the infamous Barbie rocket (which was a big hit with the ladies!).

It turned out to be a very wet day, but we had lots of folks come by the booth and had a very good response overall. Many folks hung out in the rain with us for quite a while and chatted about rocketry and Doug got hooked up with some folks that are also working on Cube-Sats, so that was very good indeed. 

Inside Discovery Place there were booths scattered all over the museum with everything from paper-tube bridge making to Battle-Bots, 3-D printing to guitars, a 3-D printed Shelby Cobra to repurposing found junk into art work. 

The staff at Discovery Place were very pleased with the turnout in spite of the weather, and look forward to doing it again next year. 

I've uploaded some pictures from the event from Roy and myself that are in the gallery so you can take a look... enjoy!

Doc R.

We'll be at the Charlotte Mini Maker Faire October 10th!

On Saturday, October 10th, from 10 am until 4 pm Charlotte's Discovery Place science museum will host the first Mini Maker Faire to be held in the Queen City!

ROCC will have an outside booth on Tryon Street where we'll talk to folks about rocketry, display some of our handywork, and maybe even try to have a rocket launch in the middle of the street!

Information and tickets for the indoor exhibits are available at the Maker Faire website HERE

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for children and seniors and $13 with a military ID. 

Want to help get the word out? Here's a LINK to the poster... print some out and spread 'em around!

Come out and see what the Makers in the Charlotte area are up to!

"Snowstorm's" ignominious end...

Earlier this week the September issue of Discover magazine came to our mailbox, and in it is a wonderful, yet at the same time poignient, picture spread on the Russian shuttle program's sad end. The link to the main photo is HERE and of course you can pick up a copy on the newsstand. 

Apparently the original Buran ("snowstorm" in Russian) shuttle, the only one of the 3 built that actually flew in space, was destroyed in a hanger collapse in 2002. The other 2, one that was destined for space and the other built as the test bed for systems and testing hear on earth, lie in another deteriorating hanger in Baikonur Cosmodrome collecting dust and bird droppings, gradually rotting away. 

dr

NC State Rocketry Team wins NASA prize!

Huge congratulations to the rocketry team from NC State University for taking home the top honors (and a check for $25K) at the NASA student launch in April!

I was watching NASA TV, like ya do, and saw them go by... very thrilling! Here's a LINK to the whole story.

Congratulations!

dr

NAR National Sport Launch 2015 in Orangeburg!

Are you experiencing Rocket Exhaust With-drawl symptoms? 

I suggest attending = The National Rocketry Association’s Annual “Sport Launch”.

Sat, 23 May – Sun, 24 May -  Mon, 25 May.  

Hosted by the Orangeburg NAR (ROSCO) and Tripoli (ICBM) Chapters.

Check NAR Official NSL web site = nsl2015.com 

Even if your not planning to fly, it is well worth it to go and just watch the show.

Multiple venders are available for those things that you haven’t been able to get hold of for a while. 

Being a national Sport Event, you can expect fliers to come come from as far North as Maine as far south as Florida and as far west as California, seriously dude..

Fliers or groups who have a rocket project that they can only fly once a year, and want it to be seen, will bring it here. So you can always expect a show. 

Not to say that there are no Low or Mid Power fliers. The kids can outnumber the adults.

Usually, they have at least 12 or more Low Power pads set up with 12 or more Mid Power and High Power pads, and about 4 High Power Away Cells.

So there is usually no back ups with plenty of pads available. 

Directions to the NSL Launch, at Orangeburg S.C.

From the Charlotte area.   (The Orangeburg club flies off a “Super Sod” Farm)

Travel Time = from I-77 at Harris Blvd is 2 hours 40 minutes

Take I-77 South to where it ends at Columbia SC.

Merge off the end of I-77 onto I-26 South.

Take I-26 S to Exit 154A (Hwy 301) towards OrangeBurg.

The Super Sod farm is only about ¼ to ½ mile on the Left.

Staying over? See NSL web site “ nsl2015.com “, for complete listing.

Days Inn, 1-803-534-0500, Across the I-26 Hwy from the site, Minimal services but has a pool.

Quality Inn and Suites 1-803-531-9200, Exit 145A south (Hwy 601) off I-26.

3671 Saint Matthews Rd (Hwy 601). More services and restaurants within walking distance.

There are many other places to stay at the same exit, 145A off I-26, do a Map Quest for a list.

Flight Fees .

Per Person= 1 day = $20.  Per Person = 3 day = $50.

Family = 1 day = $30.        Family = 3 day = $75. 

Again, check the NAR NSL web site for more information. Nsl2015.com. 

Hope to you all out there wearing the ROCC “T” shirts, show the colors dudes!

Roy, ROCC Sec.